Al-Saleh: Regulating the sale of tobacco products is an important health and preventive measure to protect the younger generation

Nada Abu Nasr: Dr. Khaled Al-Saleh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Association for Combating Smoking, praised the Ministry of Health’s initiative, led by Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi, to establish rules and procedures aimed at restricting children and adolescents’ access to tobacco products and derivatives, and setting the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products at 21.

Al-Saleh affirmed that this step represents a crucial health and preventive measure to protect the younger generation. He noted that limiting access to tobacco products among younger age groups can help delay the age at which smoking begins, thereby reducing the number of smokers in the future. He emphasized that the importance of these measures is underscored by the findings of several scientific studies addressing the prevalence of smoking among students and youth in Kuwait.

He cited a study by researcher Waleed Al-Ali, published in 2021, which showed that the average age of smoking initiation in Kuwait is approximately 17.5 years. This finding highlights the importance of adopting preventive and legislative measures targeting this age group before smoking becomes a persistent habit and nicotine addiction.

He also referenced another study conducted by researcher Abdul Salam Nasser and published in 2020, which revealed that Kuwait ranks second in the Arab world in the percentage of smokers among university students, with a rate of 46%. This reflects the scale of the challenge the state faces in combating smoking among youth and university students.

In the same context, Dr. Khaled Al-Saleh pointed to another study by researcher Muaid Sheikh, published in 2020, which examined the prevalence of tobacco use among adolescent school students in Afghanistan, Oman, and Kuwait. The study found that the percentage of students who smoked cigarettes or used other tobacco products one or more days during the 30 days preceding the survey was 10.6% in Afghanistan, 9.3% in Oman, and 28.8% in Kuwait.

He added that the study also highlighted the importance of the family’s role in preventing tobacco use. Adolescents whose parents understood their problems, monitored how they spent their free time, and checked on their school assignments were less likely to use tobacco in all three countries. He explained that these study results confirm that the smoking problem begins at an early age, and prevention must precede the university stage by protecting children and adolescents from easy access to tobacco products, alongside enhancing health education programs in schools and universities.

He stressed that the decision to set the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products at 21 represents an important step in this direction, calling for it to be accompanied by effective supervisory measures and continuous awareness campaigns, particularly in schools and universities.

He noted that the Kuwait Association for Combating Smoking is supporting these efforts by providing services to help smokers quit. The association has opened a specialized clinic for smoking cessation and is seeking to conclude cooperation agreements with Kuwaiti universities to raise awareness among students about the dangers of smoking and tobacco products, and to encourage them to quit and prevent initiation. He emphasized that tackling smoking among children, adolescents, and youth requires the concerted efforts of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, universities, families, and civil society organizations, alongside legislation and regulation of tobacco sales.